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At University Park, faculty and staff may use buildings over the holiday break, but indoor temperatures can be expected to be at 50 degrees and ventilation systems will be off.

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Holiday heat reduction program to start Dec. 24

December 1, 2015

Holiday heat reduction program to start Dec. 24

Again this year, Penn State is aggressively pursuing the reduction of energy use over the Holiday Break in accordance with Administrative Policy AD64. Faculty and staff may use buildings over the holiday break, but indoor temperatures can be expected to be at 50°F and ventilation systems will be off between Dec. 24 and Jan. 3.

At University Park, special requests for exceptions to this procedure will be considered under the following guidelines and must be received prior to Friday, Dec. 11:

Requests will be reviewed only for facilities serving the general public and in laboratories where research projects could be compromised by the temperature setback.

Such exception requests, specifying dates and time of day, must be endorsed by the cognizant dean or administrative officer and forwarded to the responsible facility coordinator.

The facility coordinator will forward requests to Bob Mulhollem at the Office of Physical Plant.

Heat reductions help conserve energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate savings for the University. This initiative also helps the University meet its commitment to the Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge of reducing our energy usage by 20 percent over the next 10 years.

At locations other than University Park, the campus executive officer or administrative officer will determine the extent of the setback program, review requests for exceptions and render decisions locally.

The official holiday break this year will be from Dec. 24 through Jan. 3. It is expected that building occupancy during this period will be minimal. At University Park, space temperatures will be set downward on Wednesday, Dec. 23, at the close of business and will be restored to normal operating temperature by Monday morning, Jan. 4, 2016.

Energy costs for University Park will once again exceed $25 million this year. The holiday heat reduction program at University Park has averaged about $225,000 per year thanks to your efforts. Your cooperation in helping to reduce our energy expenditures and supporting our environmental stewardship initiatives during the holiday recess is greatly appreciated.